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19th Century Survey Prints

The 19th century United States Federal Government was interested to enlarge and examine the country’s land holdings to the west and the south. It commissioned many exploratory expeditions in order to research information about these lands, and their potential benefits, to the country. The expeditions included the United States and Mexico Boundary Survey, the United States Naval Astronomical Expedition to the Southern Hemisphere, and the United States Pacific Railroad Surveys.

Imagery prepared to describe the narratives and expedition findings included topographical landscapes, scientific specimens, native peoples, and anthropological artifacts encountered and collected. The expeditions were staffed with naturalists whose collected material many times found a home in the collections of the Smithsonian’s U.S. National Museum. Read more about the surveys.

William Dougal (1822–1895) of Washington, D.C. engraved this print of “Anguilla tyrannus [Grd]”, now "Anguilla rostrata" or American eel, from an original sketch likely drawn by John H. Richard (c.1807–1881) of Philadelphia. The illustration was printed as Plate 40 in the “Fishes” section of the second part of volume II of the Report on the United States and Mexican Boundary Survey, written by Charles Girard (1822–1895). The volume was printed in 1859 by Cornelius Wendell of Washington, D.C.

William Dougal (1822–1895) of Washington, D.C. engraved this print of “Belone scrulator [Grd]”, now "Strongylura marina" or Atlantic needlefish, from an original sketch by John H. Richard (c.1807–1881) of Philadelphia. The illustration was printed as Plate 13 in the “Fishes” section of the second part of volume II of the Report on the United States and Mexican Boundary Survey, which was written by Charles Girard (1822–1895). The volume was printed in 1859 by Cornelius Wendell of Washington, D.C.

William Dougal (1822–1895) of Washington, D.C. engraved this print of “Caragnus esculentus [Grd], Doliodon carolinus [Grd], Chorinemus lanceolatus [Grd], Chloroscombrus carribeaus [Grd], Argyreiosis capillaris [De Kay], and Vomer setapinnis [Grd]; now "Oligoplites saurus" (Leatherjacket), "Trachinotus carolinus" (Florida pompano), "Oligoplites saurus" (Leatherjacket), "Chloroscombrus carribaeus" (Atlantic bumper), and "Selene setapinnis" (Atlantic moonfish or horsefish); from an original sketch by John H. Richard (c.1807–1881) of Philadelphia. The illustration was printed as Plate 11 in the “Fishes” section of the second part of volume II of the Report on the United States and Mexican Boundary Survey, written by Charles Girard (1822–1895). The volume was printed in 1859 by Cornelius Wendell of Washington, D.C.

William Dougal (1822–1895) of Washington, D.C. engraved this print of “Ictiobus tumidus [Grd], Ptychostomus albidus [Grd], and Luxilus leptosomus [Grd]”—now "Ictiobus bubalus" (Smallmouth buffalofish), "Moxostoma albidum" (Longlip jumprock), and "Notemigonus crysoleucas" (Golden shiner or Golden shiner minnow); from an original sketch by John H. Richard (c.1807–1881) of Philadelphia. The illustration was printed as Plate 19 in the “Fishes” section of the second part of volume II of the Report on the United States and Mexican Boundary Survey, written by Charles Girard (1822–1895). The volume was printed in 1859 by Cornelius Wendell of Washington, D.C.

William Dougal (1822–1895) of Washington, D.C. engraved this print of “Moniana rutila [Grd], Moniana formosa [Grd], Moniana gibbosa [Grd], Moniana aurata [Grd], Moniana frigida [Grd], Moniana couchi [Grd];” now "Cyprinella rutila" (Mexican shiner), "Cyprinella formosa" (Beautiful shiner), "Cyprinella leutrensis" (Red shiner), "Cyprinella proserpina" (Proserpine shiner), "Cyprinella lutrensis" (Red shiner), and "Cyprinella lutrensis" (Red shiner), from an original sketch by John H. Richard (c.1807–1881) of Philadelphia. The illustration was printed as Plate 30 in the “Fishes” section of the second part of volume II of the Report on the United States and Mexican Boundary Survey, written by Charles Girard (1822–1895). The volume was printed in 1859 by Cornelius Wendell of Washington, D.C.

William Dougal (1822–1895) of Washington, D.C. engraved this print of “Nematogenys inermis [Grd]” from an original sketch by John H. Richard (c.1807–1881) of Philadelphia. The illustration was published in 1855 by A.O.P. Nicholson in Washington, D.C. as Plate XXXII in the “Reptiles, fishes, crustacea” section of volume II of The United States Naval Astronomical Survey to the Southern Hemisphere, written by Charles Girard (1822–1895).

William Dougal (1822–1895) of Washington, D.C. engraved this print of “Otolithus drummondii [Richards]”, now "Cynoscion nebulosus" or Spotted seatrout, from an original sketch likely drawn by John H. Richard (c.1807–1881) of Philadelphia. The illustration was printed as Plate 6 in the “Fishes” section of the second part of volume II of the Report on the United States and Mexican Boundary Survey, written by Charles Girard (1822–1895). The volume was printed in 1859 by Cornelius Wendell of Washington, D.C.

William Dougal (1822–1895) of Washington, D.C. engraved this print of “Pomotis heros [B&G]and Pomotis fallax [B&G];” now "Lepomis macrochirus" (Bluegill) and "Lepomis megalotis" (Longear sunfish); from an original sketch likely drawn by John H. Richard (c.1807–1881) of Philadelphia. The illustration was published as Plate 2 in the “Fishes” section of the second part of volume II of the Report on the United States and Mexican Boundary Survey, written by Charles Girard (1822–1895). The volume was printed in 1859 by Cornelius Wendell of Washington, D.C.

William Dougal (1822–1895) of Washington, D.C. engraved this print of “Mastodon andium,” from an original sketch by John H. Richard (c.1807–1881) of Philadelphia. The illustration was published in 1855 by A.O.P. Nicholson in Washington, D.C. as Plate XIII in the “Paleontology: fossil mammals” section of volume II of The United States Naval Astronomical Survey to the Southern Hemisphere, written by Jeffries Wyman (1814–1874).

William Dougal (1822–1895) of Washington, D.C. engraved this print of “Batrachyla longipes [Baird], Heloecetes clarkia [Baird], Hylarana fusca [Baird], and Acris archeta [sic] [Baird]," now "Eleutherodactylus longipes" (Long–footed frog, Long–footed robber frog, or Longfoot robber frog), "Pseudacris clarkia" (Clark’s tree frog, Clark’s striped tree frog, or Spotted chorus frog), Hylarana fusca [Baird], and "Acris gryllus" (Cricket frog); from an original sketch by John H. Richard (c.1807–1881) of Philadelphia. The illustration was printed as Plate 37 in the “Reptiles” section of the second part of volume II of the Report on the United States and Mexican Boundary Survey, written by S.F. Baird (1823–1887). The volume was printed in 1859 by Cornelius Wendell of Washington, D.C.